Anna Hartz
Whales have always fascinated humans. People have hunted them for thousands of years.
In the past, whales provided food, oil, and materials for tools. Most historians thought large-scale whale hunting only started in the Arctic and the northern Pacific around 4,000 years ago. New research now shows the story is much older and reaches much farther south.
The New Evidence
Archaeologists have found evidence that humans hunted whales in Brazil at least 5,000 years ago, reports Historienet. They discovered parts of harpoons made from whale bones along the coast.
The finds were made in large shell mounds called sambaquis, which were built by Stone Age communities. These mounds were not just piles of shells. They also served as burial sites and contained tools, bones, and other remains from everyday life.
The researchers from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona analyzed hundreds of whale bones from the sambaquis. They used a technique called ZooMS, which can identify the species of animals from tiny traces of collagen in bones. The results showed that people hunted several types of whales, including southern right whales, blue whales, sei whales, sperm whales, and even dolphins.
Humans Had Left Their Mark
The bones also showed clear cut marks. This proved that the animals had been slaughtered by humans. Large harpoons made of whale bone were found nearby, confirming that these were organized hunts, not accidental beachings. The hunters planned their efforts carefully and knew how to take down very large animals.
This discovery changes how we see these early coastal communities. They were not just shell collectors. They were also skilled whale hunters who used advanced tools and strategies. Krista McGrath, the lead author of the study, said the findings represent a “paradigm shift” in our understanding of these societies.
Whales have been a valuable resource for humans for thousands of years. In some regions, like the Svalbard archipelago, hunting them later became so competitive that it even led to conflicts in the 1600s. The new evidence from Brazil shows that humans were exploiting whales far earlier than previously thought. It also gives us a better understanding of the social and technological abilities of ancient coastal societies in South America.
The discovery adds a new chapter to the long history of human interaction with whales. It reminds us that humans have been connected to the sea and its giants for many thousands of years.
Sources: Historienet
